Case study

  • Date:
  • Category:
    Concern involving a contractor
    Health and social care setting
    Where business as usual has not worked

Example

A health care assistant in a day centre for older people is concerned that one of their regular visitors is not receiving the care at home (provided under contract from the local authority) that they should be; an elderly person is coming in complaining that they haven't been able to get a shower and sometimes has not had breakfast before their visit to the day centre.

The care assistant raises this with the day centre coordinator, who is also concerned about the situation.  They take this to the senior social worker responsible for the contract, but nothing seems to change.

The concerns continue, and they contact the senior social worker again but do not receive an acknowledgement.  When another service user talks of similar issues, they decide to take the concern through the Standards.  The coordinator raises the concern with the centre manager, who contacts the senior social worker.  They agree that this can be considered as a stage 1 whistleblowing concern.  The senior social worker is now clear that action must be taken, and they contact the care provider to raise the issue with them.  Action is taken to resolve the situation, and when the contract with the care provider is renewed, the issue is reviewed.  The centre manager is informed of the outcome, and they share it with the coordinator and health care assistant.  They are also signposted to stage 2 of the procedure if they do not think that this concern has been resolved.

Updated: January 9, 2020